Chord player



FeB. 16, 1954 MACCAFERRI CHORD PLAYER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 10, 1951 INVENTOR',

BY 7 Q,

ATTORNEYS 1954 M. MACCAFERRI ,669, 5

CHORD PLAYER Filed April 10, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 K lNVENTORf ATTORNEY);

Patented Feb. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ononn PLAYER Mario Maccaferri, Rye, .N. Y.

Application Aprillll, 195-1, Serial No. 220,237 6 Claims. (01. 84-317) This invention relates broadly to the art of chord players for stringed musical instruments, and in its more specific aspects it relates. to a device for attachment to the finger board of .a stringed musical instrument of the type of ukulele's, guitars and the like, whereby chords may be. played by the selective operation of buttons or the like control elements on the device: and the nature and objects of the invention will be readily recognized and understood by those skilled in the arts to which it relates in the light of the following explanation and detailed de-' scription of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I at present believe .to be the preferred embodiments and mechanical expressions of my invention from among various other forms, arrangements, combinations and constructions, of which the invention is capable within the spirit and mope thereof.

Stringed musical instruments of the general class of ukuleles, guitars and the like, which may be strummed or picked .and which include a fretted finger board require relatively complicated fingering of the strings on the finger board in order to produce the chords necessary in playing. Instruments of this type require considerable practice and instruction before they can be mastered and many may only be played by an accomplished player.

Ukuleles, guitars and the like stringed musical instruments are primarily for accompaniment of songs and this is one reason for their popularity with the general public having no specific musical training. Another reason for the popularity of these instruments may be'that the costthereof is usually relatively less than the cost of many other musical instruments. Many persons purchase these popular instruments who have no musical knowledge or training'and discover that it is difficult to learn to play the instrumerrt'immediately and that much practice, and often'inistruction, is necessary before the instrument can be played. Thus, many persons are deprived of the pleasure and relaxation obtained .from playing musical instruments of the character of player must have not only finger dexterity but 2 must also learn and mentally retain the location of the strings and the frets on the fingerboard. Obviously the acquisition of such skills is normally not a rapid process for patience and practice'are needed.

Devices are known for association with the fingerboard of a ukulele whereby chords may be played in a simpler way than the conventional "fingering. .Such chord players may embody buttons or the like control elements for depression to engage a particular st-ring orstrings to thereby produce a desired chord. In using a chord player the player of the instrument only needs to know which control element to use to produce a certain chord, hence, the usual diflicult fingering process :is eliminated.

The chord players of-which I am aware are not entirely satisfactory for a variety of reasons. For instance, a chord player may consist of a casing in which the keys or string contacting elements are operable, and this casing is removably mounted on the neck of the instrument over the fingerboard. It is desirable that the chord player unit be maintained in a certain position relative to the fingerboard. The :inountingmeans used with many units .is flexible and elastic for economy and easeof mounting and removal, and does not maintain the unit against displacement relative to the fingerboard. Without sacrificing economy and ease of mounting and removal, I have devised an anchoring means for my chord player which provides a positive fin ng of the unit to the fingerboard so that its position relative thereto will be, maintained against forces acting to displace it while in use, and, of course, it will maintain its position when the instrument is not in use.

As I have explained, a "device of this character may embody a number of depressible control buttons, each oi which produces a certain chord when it is depressed. It is desirable and of great advantage to the novice player to provide indicia or chord diagrams on or adjacent to each control element indicating the chord produced by the operation of each element. The player is thereby visually informed what chord each element will produce and the playing of the instrument is thereby expedited and simplified. The position of the indicia or chord diagrams is important, for if such indicia are placed on top of the control elements they may not be seen with case when the instrument is in p1aying position and the purpose of the indicia is thereby defeated. II the chord diagrams are positioned adjacent each control element the problem is not solved in chord players with which I am familiar for the reason that the control elements are positioned one behind the other so that certain of the diagrams would be hidden from the player's view when the instrument is in playing position. I have overcome this problem by so positioning and arranging the control elements or buttons that a chord diagram may be placed in front of each element and be clearly visible to the player when the instrument is in playing position. I place the chord diagram on the inclined front face of a block to position it.

operation of the control element by the player to thereby sound the chord as the strings are strummed or picked. As the buttons and mounting members are operated in playing the instrument objectionable clicking noises are produced by the contact of the mounting members with the case upon their retraction. I have devised a structure which overcomes this defect in prior art devices as well as delivering a rich full tone upon contact with a string.

I provide one or more fingers on amounting member for contacting the strings and construct these fingers of a relatively soft material which produces the desired full tone upon contact with a string. Each string contacting finger is constructed so that it also functions as a cushioning element between the case and the mounting member to eliminate the objectionable clicking noises which have heretofore reduced the effectiveness of prior art chord players.

As certain chords are produced by contact with more than one string it will be appreciated that certain buttons will carry mounting members having more than one finger associated therewith. Since each finger should contact a particular string behind a particular fret it is necessary that the mounting members with the fingers thereon be fixed against displacement by the playing operation of the device. The mounting members are fixed to the buttons against relative movement and I fix the depressible buttons against rotary movement relative to the case so that no twisting action can occur to displace the mounting members and fingers from their chord playing positions. Thus, the initial assembly positions of the buttons, mounting members and fingers cannot be upset by operation of the chord player or by any rough usage to which it may be subjected.

My chord player has been designed for ease of attachment to all standard makes of ukuleles and the like instruments, and is relatively inexpensive to produce and will require no operational upkeep.

.combination of elements, as willbe more fully and particularly referred to and specified hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of my chord player operatively mounted and attached on the neck over the fingerboard of a stringed musical instrument of the ukulele type, parts of the musical instrument being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the chord player in operative position on the neck of the instrument, the view illustrating the position of the chord player relative to the musicians line of vision when using the chord player.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the chord player in operative position on the neck of the instrument, certain operating parts of the chord player being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line li of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 5-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a side view in section through the narrow end of the chord player.

Fig. 8 is a disassembled view in detail of a control button and the parts controlled thereby.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated, as an example of my invention, a chord player which includes a housing or casing i for the operating elements of the device, the housing being of greater length than width and, as

I f will be explained hereinafter, is adapted to be mounted on the neck of a ukulele or the like stringed instrument overlying a length of the fingerboard thereof.

This housing or casing may be made of any suitable strong material of light weight, preferably a plastic, and includes an upper surface or top 3 and side walls 5 depending therefrom, the housing being of increasing width toward one end thereof as clearly illustrated in the drawings. A flange 7 extends downwardly from the wide end of the casing, the flange i being of less width than that of the side walls 5, and a pair of spaced supporting feet or prongs 9 project downwardly from the flange 7 in the plane thereof, the ends of the feetbeing above the lower edge of the side walls. At the opposite or narrow end of the casing I provide a further downwardly extending flange ll which may be of greater depth or width than the flange l. I provide a. plurality of spaced projections 12 extending downwardly from and in the plane of the flange II, and I also may provide a central projection I4 which is of greater dimensions than the projections l2 and which extends downwardly from. and in the plane of the flange H. Attaching lugs or hooks It having protuberances It on their outer ends project laterally from adjacent the end of each side wall 5.

At the narrow end of the casing I provide transversely spaced ribs or webs l5 and I! which extend downwardly within the casing from the upper surface 3 and end wall H thereof. The

'ends of the webs are above the plane of the edges of the side walls 5, and the web I5 is of greater width than the web ii. The lower edge of web [5 is notched as at I 9 providing a relatively wide recess having a shoulder 21 at the inner end thereof. The webs l5 and H function as anchoring and supporting members, respectively, for the device on the fingerboard of the instrument as will become apparent as the description proceeds.

A standard ukulele or stringed instrument generally or the ukulele type includes a hollowv body or bell (not shown) fromone end of which pro- 5 facts sw neck mounting a fingerboard 21' which terminates at the outer end thereof in a tuning key :mou-ntmg head 2!. The neck and "fingen board are or outwardly narrowing dorm and a series oI frets 31 extend transversely across the fingerboard. Four strings SI, 82, S3, and S4 extend lfrom a bridge 'on the sounding board of i the mstrument -'(not-*sho-wn) avor the fingerboard to conventional tuning'keys 31, the strings passing through anut-or dividcr-fl. lhefingerboard may include a-master fret 41 positioned in close proximity to the nut for divider.

The chord' player is mounted on the neck of the "ukulele over the fingerboard in operative playing position by dlspos'ing the narrow end of the 'rcasing over the nut 39 so' that the notch or reoess l s in -web 1'5 will bridge the'nut and the master not 41- and the-shoulder '21 will be in engagement with the side of the master met while the lower edge of web -1-5 "will rest on th'enut. 'With the chord player so positioned the projections I2 and M will extend on the outer side of the nut and will maintain the playeragainst inwar-d sliding movement while shoulders -2l will maintain it against outward movement. The opposite side or wide end of the casing will be supported on the-fingerboard by the prongs or feet 9 and since the side walls 5 orthe "casing extend below the feet and the webs theyw'i-ll extend slightly below the fingerboard. With the casing so mount-ed it is removably fastened in position by hooking elastic bands or 'the' like 43 at each end over the lugs I3 and passing them under the neck of the instrument. 'The'bands will be kept from slipping off the'lugs by theprotuberances f8. When the chord player is mounted on the neck extending over the fingerboard as described "it is maintained against longitudinal sliding movement by the seating oi? the nut and master fret in the rece'ssof web l5 with shoulder '21 bearingagainst the master m1: and projections 12 and I4 hearing against the nut, and of course the elastic bands exert a constant pressure on-the casing toward the fingerboard.

The upper surface or cover 3 of the casing ismolded or otherwise formed with a plurality of -circular openings 45 therein, this instance six of such openings are formed in the "cover ofth'e casing. An'annular upstanding collar or sleeve 4-! surrounds each opening, in concentric rleitlon thereto and a further collar or'rib 49 may be provided depending from the under side of the cover "3 and surrounding the openings 45 in concentric relation thereto. Each opening 45 *is bridged by an element'or locking bar 5-1. The locking bar is preferablyformed integral with the casing and is "rigid therewith and forms a lockingmeans for each control element or button as willbe clearly explained hereinafter.

A control element or button '53 is adapted to reciprocate in each opening 45 in order to pro duce a desired chord. Each control button is of substantially cylindrical shape "and is open at one end "as at 5'5 and closed at the opposite or upper end thereof as at 51. The control buttons are all of a diameter to be slidably' received in the openings 45 and collars 41 and 49 and the axial dimension of each button is greaterthan the combined depth of collars 41 and 49 and the thieknessof casing Diametrically opposedslots are out in thewalls of each button and extend axial-1y thereof from the open 'end' of a button a distance-toward but spaced from the closed end thereof. The was of each button *a't the 6 upper or closed-end ithereotcare thickened providing an annular shoulder 56!, and Ba pair of diametrically opposed rector lugs '63 projectirom the bottom edges of "the cylinder.

In assembling 'the buttons 53 into operative position a coiled spring is positioned "within each button, whereupon a button carrying a spring is inserted in each opening with the bridge elem'en'tfil received inithe'slots '59. With the buttons operatively associated with the casing, as described, it will be recognized that one end of the spring will bear against shoulder Bl while the'other 'end will :bear against bridge 5i or looking bar so that the button may be depressed into sleeve 43 against the action of the "spring, and that upon release of pressure onthe button it will be urged upwardly in the collar -under the=action of the compression spring. In using the player a button is depressed to produce a desired chord, and, as 'will be explained, it "is necessary that the buttons be mounted for reciprocation within the collars while restrained therein against rotary movement. A button may not rotate within its collar due to the extension of locking bar through the axial slots in'the button.

As I have pointed out above, each button or control element represents a chord, that is, "the depression of a button produces -a particular chord, due to the operation of means about "to be described, which are operative'ly associated with each button. It is highly advantageous to provide visual means in connection with each button which is clearly visible to the player when the instrument is in playing position to thereby expedite the selection of the correct button for depression to produce the chord.

i provide a generally triangular shaped block forming a chord or symbol diagram, this I-blo'c'k being designated by the numeral 66. 'The block may constitute a molded'component of the collar 4! at each opening '45, it being understood that there is a block "for each button at each collar. Each block is so positioned that the hypotenuse 5"! thereof presents a surface directed generally upwardly when the chord player is attached to the instrument and the instrument is "in playing position. Upon the inclined surface 61 I engrave, mold or otherwise place -a chord diagram or other indicia showing the player of the instrument that by depressing the button -ad-' jacent a block the chord represented on the inclined face of that block will be produced.

In order that "the front or inclined surfaces 6-! with the chord diagrams thereon maybe visible to the player of the instrument and no front surface of any block obscured by a collar or button adjacent any other block I have positicned the openings 45 so that every indicia carrying surface of every block is clearly within the line of vision of the player of the instrument. For instance the D2 chord is produced by depression of the outermost button on the player, next to it in inwardlyand upwardly spaced relation thereto the B7 chord and adjacent to that but inwardly and upwardly spaced is the G chord. Similarly the next group of buttons are positioned so that the chord diagrams are clearly visible. The D chord button is inwardly and downwardly spaced from the G chord button so its chord diagram will not be obscured thereby, while the A? chord button is upwardly and inwardly spaced from the D chord button. and finally the button representing "the E7 chord is inwardly and downwardly spaced from the A! chord button. .By, this arrangement of the buttons it will be evident that no buttons are aligned transversely of the chord player so that the front face of every block will be clearly visible to the player of the instrument when it is in playing position. Mounting members designated generally by the numeral 6d are fixed to and adapted to be moved by operation of a control element or button. Every mounting member includes a body portion 7! having spaced recesses therein. Each mounting member 69 is fixed to and supported from a button 53 by fixing the feet or lugs 63 in the recesses it in the mounting member by cementing or in an other suitable manner.

Because of the arrangement of the buttons to provide unobstructed views of the chord diagrams it will be recognized that certain of the buttons will be offset relative to the string or strings which must be contactedL to produce the chord represented by a particular button. It follows, therefore, that the mounting members which I use are of difierent configurations so that the fingers or string contacting means which are carried thereby will contact the proper string behind the proper fret. The mounting member Ki corresponding ,0 the D7 chord is fixed to the D7 button at the body portion H thereof and a laterally extending portion '55 projects from the body and adjacent the outer end thereof which is disposed over string SI a circular aperture fl is formed, having the upper end thereof slightly constricted as illustrated at it.

I provide a string contacting element or finger which comprises a bumper or head 8! having a serrated surface 533 thereon for actual contact with a string. A neck 85 extends from the opposite side of the head and includes a cushioning portion 8? on its end. The finger is associated with the mounting member by inserting the neck into the aperture "fl so that the portion 8? thereof extends beyond the apertur between the mounting member and the under side of the casing cover 3, the finger being maintained in position carried by the mounting member due to the constriction 19 which pinches and holds the finger in mounting member supported position.

The finger may be made of polyethylene, or if desired it may be made of rubber.

When the finger 53 representing chord D7 is depressed against the action of spring 65 the mounting member will be depressed and th serrated surface 83 of bumper 8i wil1 contact string S to produce chord D7. The serrated surface of the bumper keeps the string from slipping from the bumper. When pressure is removed from the button the mounting member will be retracted and the bumper withdrawn from contact with the string, the spring will force the button and mounting member upwardly away from the fingerboard until the cushioning portion 61 of neck of the finger engages the under side of surface 3. Since the finger and portion 31 are formed of a material having cushioning properties it will function as a cushion between the mounting member and casing and no objectionable clicking sounds will occur and. the operation of the playing mechanism will be relatively silent.

The mounting member K2 is fixed to the button representing chord. is the only button which is not offset relative to the string or strings to be contacted by its mounting member,

in this instance the string S3. Thus, mounting member 52 only includes a body portion H havi-ng recesses 73 therein into which the feet 63 are fixed to support the mounting member from the button. In this instance where the button is not ofiset relative to the string the mounting member K2 is formed with a concentric aperture 88 therein into which the finger is fixed, and since all of the fingers on all the mounting members are of the same construction the one description thereof which I have made will not be repeated. Since all the mounting members are fixed to the buttons in the same way this will not be repeated with the description of each mounting member,- and since all the fingers are fixed to the apertures in the same manner this construction will not be explained in detail when each finger is discussed. In the case of mounting member K2 the cushioning portion 81 of the finger will engage bridge 5 I to keep the remaining parts of the mounting member from coming into noise making contact with collar 49.

Th mounting member K3 is fixed to the button representing the G chord and is formed with a lateral extension 9| extending over string S4 having a finger 92 fixed therein in position to contact string St when the button is depressed. Mounting member K3 has a further lateral extension :l3 extending over string S2 and mounting a finger 94 thereon in position to contact string S2,

Mounting member K4 is fixed to the control button representing chord D and includes a lateral extension $5 positioned so that the finger 96 carried by the extension will contact string 5! upon depression of the button representing chord D.

Mounting member K5 is fixed to the control button representing chord A7 and includes a somewhat enlarged body portion 9'!- mounting a finger 99 in position to contact string S2. A lateral extension [0| projects from body portion 9? and at the end thereof mounts a finger I03 over string S3, and a further lateral extension I extends in the opposite direction from the body portion and is curved as at I07 to avoid the button representing chord D and. mounts a finger fill-l at the end of the extension in position over string SI.

Mounting member K6 is fixed to the control button representing chord E7 and includes a lateral extension HI mounting a finger H3 at the end thereof in position to contact string S4. A lateral extension H5 extends from the body portion of the mounting member in a direction opposite to that of extension III and extension H5 mounts a finger I I! over string S3, while an extension H9 extends from extension H5 in angular relation thereto and mounts a finger l2! on the end thereof over string S2.

Consideration of the drawings illustrates that the recesses E3 in the body portions of the mounting member are formed therein adjacent to the lateral extensions. I so form the body portions for added strength and simplicity of construction whereby I am enabled to reduc the edge to edge Width of the body portions of all those mounting members involving lateral extensions. All of the lateral extensions of the mounting members are of generally converging shape outwardly from the body portions of the mounting members.

Chord players of the general class of my invention are designed for the inexperienced player and it will be appreciated that I have devised: such a device which gives clear and unobscured visible indications to the player for expediting the playing of the instrument and that-by so doing I have not sacrificed compactness of the device nor reduced the musical effectiveness of the tones produced. My device has also been designed for the elimination of th usual objectionable clicking sounds which are audible when prior art devices are playing.

I claim:

1. A chord player for stringed musical instruments, including a casing and a top therefor having a plurality of openings therethrough, a collar upstanding from the top about each opening and a control elementreciprocably mounted to extend through each opening and collar, string contacting means associated with and controlled by said control elements, a block connected to each collar having a surface inclined at an angle to the plane of the top and extending upwardly therefrom and visual means on said inclined surface for indicating the chord represented by the adjacent control button and for viewing by the player of the stringed musical instrument when the instrument is in playing position.

2. A chord player for stringed musical instruments, including a casing and a top therefor having a plurality of openings therethrough, a cylindrical control element reciprocably mounted in each opening, string contacting means associated with and controlled by said control elements for producing a musical chord upon operation of a control element, and each control element having oppositely disposed aligned axially extending slots therein, and a locking bar fixed at opposite points to the wall defining each opening and extending across the opening and through the axial slots to prevent rotation of the control element relative to the casing.

3. A chord player for stringed musical instruments, including a casing, a plurality of control elements operatively associated therewith, a mounting member fixed to each control element for operation thereby and each mounting member having at least one opening therein having a constricted portion, and at least one string contacting element mounted on each mounting member, each string contacting element having a neck projecting therefrom and received in the opening in the mounting member and pinched therein by the constricted portion thereof for anchoring the string contacting element to the mounting member.

4. A chord player for stringed musical instruments, including a casing and a top therefor having a plurality of openings therethrough, a control element reciprocably mounted in each opening for depression by the player of the stringed musical instrument and means for reposition, a mounting member fixed to each control element for operation thereby, and each mounting member supporting at least one finger having a string contacting element at one end and at the other end a cushioning element positioned between the mounting member and the casing and in engagement with the casing when the mounting member is in retracted position.

5. A chord player for stringed musical instruments in accordance with claim 4, wherein each mounting member is provided with at least one opening therethrough and a finger is fixedly maintained in each opening, the string contacting part projecting from one end of the opening and the cushioning part projecting from the other end of the opening.

6. A chord player for stringed musical instruments including a casing having a top and opposite side walls and means for attaching the chord player in operative position on the stringed musical instrument so that one of said side walls of the chord player is in uppermost position when the stringed musical instrument is being played, said chord player including a plurality of control elements operatively mounted on the casing and string contacting members connected with and controlled by said control elements, a supporting surface adjacent each control element extending upwardly from the top of the casing at an obtuse angle thereto and each of said supporting surfaces being directed toward the plane of the side of the chord player which is in uppermost position when the stringed musical instrument is being played, each supporting surface having visual means thereon indicating the musical chord represented by the adjacent References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 627,410 Graus June 20, 1899 2,132,281 Adamson Oct. 4, 1938 2,450,210 Sprague Sept. 28, 1948 2,490,517 Garcia Dec. 6, 1949 2,517,000 La Rose Aug. 1, 1950 2,555,388 Adams June 5, 1951 

